Poetic Justice
by dave-d
Summary: Sousuke and Kaname live together after the events at Yamsk 11 and Merida Island. It's Valentine's Day. Nothing comes easy.


**POETIC JUSTICE**

Poetic justice is a literary device in which ultimately virtue is rewarded and viciousness is punished. In modern literature it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action.

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_Foreword__: This offering will not contain combat or action scenes. It will not be filled with comedy. It is simply a day-in-the-life of our hero and heroine. Nothing wrong with that, right?_

_Today's lesson? Things can change. But, not always as quickly or as permanently as some folks might want. Yet, if people hold on to hope… or find the right solution… they might end up getting what they want. Grab what you can when you can while you can! _

_Author's warning: This story is long, in part because I enjoyed writing it. But, you may not enjoy reading it, if you are not a fan of long meandering fan fiction. And, please, no complaints about things seeming OOC. The lass and laddy are acting canon to my body of works._

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The blue haired girl sighed, reminiscing. She could picture that past day, just like it was yesterday.

_Kaname stepped out from a cab, looked up at her old apartment building, almost as if she didn't recognize it. She felt like she had been gone for eons, but that was of course an illusion. Just the same, she had been through so much turmoil and trouble, enough to last many lifetimes._

_She should have felt some emotion… any emotion… being back in Tokyo; but, she hadn't. It felt like a part of her soul had been burned away with a powerful chemical laser, or by that nuclear explosion that she had managed to avoid on Merida Island. That, and her head was too full of thoughts and faces. Everything blurred together._

_After she used Wraith's key to make her way inside her old place, she thought about her father and her sister. She tried to call them, but no one answered. She thought of Tessa, who had told her resolutely that Sousuke was gone. Who could survive a nuclear strike? She thought of the many dead, with Leonard's and Kalinin's faces looming last but not least. And Sofia. How could she not think about Sofia? Tessa had said that she was gone, too. But, she doubted that. A small part of the Whisperer would probably stick with her forever._

_She looked at her watch. It was 9:14am. It was a Friday. Friday, such an ordinary sounding day. What should a girl do at such an hour on such an ordinary day? Tradition seized her thoughts. School. A girl would be at school._

"School," Kaname Chidori mused, real time. She stuck a straw into a box of chilled fruit drink and took a long sip. She standing next to a large vending machine, newly placed on the grounds of Jindai Municipal High School. She drank again, and then closed her eyes. She thought back to that day again.

_While not voluntarily, she had essentially dropped out of school when she had left with Leonard Testarossa, saving that school and the people she loved there. Sousuke, most of all. It would be hard returning there without Sousuke, but she owed it to her teachers and her friends. She felt that she owed them an apology. So, looking through her closets, she found her high school uniform neatly wrapped in plastic._

_Dressed in that green and white uniform, Kaname Chidori stood at the empty front gate of the school, reading a large sign hanging above it. The sign read: "Heisei 10, Tokyo Metropolitan Jindai Highschool Graduation Ceremony." She was a bit taken aback. She knew it was the time of the year for such things, but had had no idea that today was __that__ day._

"They were playing 'Aogeba totoshi' in the gym," Kaname remembered. "In D-flat." She wrinkled up her nose and forehead. "That was so solemn and serious. Not a fun tune to celebrate everybody's big day." But, it somehow seemed befitting for her return there. She had been certain that everyone would hate her. She had been so certain that everyone would blame her.

_But, when the students poured out of the gymnasium and saw her, they did not gather up rocks or bricks and stone her. They did not construct a ramshackle catapult and launch her back into their past._

_Without any hesitation, Kyouko pushed her way through the growing crowd. The two friends embraced, falling to their knees crying. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by other people, all wanting to talk to her. Eri Kagurazaka tried to keep order, but emotions were too strong, too sudden. Maya. Shiori. Mizuki. Onodera. Shinji. So many people that she had known, even many who were never really friends._

_It had been Shinji Kazama, of course, who had asked "Where's Sagara-kun?" The milling crowd went still and fell dead silent. The Kaname of that day felt her rising heart plummet like a dropped anchor. Sousuke had been the one to promise to bring her back. Essentially, he had done that. On such a cheerful day in their lives, how could she tell the graduates the ending to the story?_

"But… of course… he had to show up right there and then…" Kaname grumped, but she did so with a large and warm smile. Tossing her empty box in a nearby trash receptacle, she continued: "He probably planned it that way…the prima donna…."

"_Isn't that Sagara," someone in the crowd called out. He pointed at a man dismounting a Honda Super Cub, and now walking their way._

_It really __had__ been Sousuke. And, he stirred the crowd to a frenzy again when he shouted out "Well, how's that?! I held my promise! I brought her back!" Covered in sweat from who knows what endeavors, the young man had also dressed in his Jindai uniform, sticking to principals of course. "I was being held at the Okinawa base until today… but when I read it was graduation, I made a temporary escape." Some of the students cheered hearing that last word. Somehow the students had learned the truth about their escape from the base near Lake Khanka._

_When the crowd allowed him to, Sousuke made his way over to Kaname, looking somewhat different in his pose and strike. Was he acting cocky? Of course he was! He had looked Death in the eye many a time since he had left this place, and he had walked away the victor. Who else in that courtyard could say the same?_

"Stuck up moron," Kaname said with a laugh. She thought about buying another juice… looked down at her slightly larger hips… and voted against that. "The first thing he _should_ have said was 'I love you dearly, Kaname Chidori!'" She harumphed, nodded at some pleasant underclassmen who had acknowledged her, and started on her way back to her current apartment, the same one as before. "Or he should have at least said, you're beautiful Kaname."

"_Lots of things happened," were Sousuke's actual first words to Kaname. "There's a lot I want to tell you... not now". That last bit had some graduates oohing and ahhing until Sousuke held his hand up cocked like a gun. "I heard from Wraith that you didn't accept an escort. Just because you don't hear Whispers any more does not mean that organizations do not exist in the world that still might have a use for you." Her friends spoke encouraging words to her after hearing that. Frightened, a number of teenagers in the crowd were happy that this was their last day at school, just in case the two lovebirds resumed their studies. They couldn't be certain whether Sousuke and Kaname still wore Trouble like a second skin. _

"_You need someone to guard you," Sousuke said, holding out his hand. That caused her knees to go weak. "I will be your guard. Always." Her heart beat so fast, and her breathing had grown so quick, that she almost passed out. What could he possibly say, to top __that__? "Do you remember our promise, from Mexico?"_

"_That-" Kaname was tongue-tied. She remembered the promise, of course. Sousuke had promised that they would kiss whenever they met again, no matter where they were. And being the bold and stalwart girl that she was, what did she reply? "A-ah... it's not like I'm against it, but... here? I mean... everyone is watching... this is a bit...right?"_

"_It is not a problem," Sousuke said. Of course he did. How many times had she heard that singular reply? After that, he had gently embraced her, and they kissed. The crowd had jeered, and she had felt very embarrassed. But, she realized just how much she loved him, and didn't care how much shame she felt. Passion kindled, she kissed him back with every ounce of emotion that she rediscovered._

"Always stand by me," Kaname said as she walked towards her home. "I meant that then… and I mean it even more now…." Kaname crossed a large avenue nestled in a large group of pedestrians. On this special day, their clothing all seemed so bright, and she imagined their stolid faces to be alive and cheerful. "At least I keep my word." She sounded a bit sour. Sousuke had replied to her "Don't let me go, please... always... always stand by me" with "Of course …I won't need weapons while you are beside me._"_

Following that kiss, there had been some good things and some bad things. Good? The two of them had been miraculously accepted back into Jindai High, to finish their schooling and to get their degrees. And, of course, the two of them had become a true couple. The Bad? Sousuke's conscience still had a soft spot for the Underdog.

People were still in danger everywhere. What had once been Mithril was no longer secret… when reformed was no longer called Mithril… and was being funded openly by the U.S.A and other nations. The powers that be settled on a new name: _Orichalcum_. Kaname hated that name. Really hated it. It was ugly and had twice the number of syllables a cool name should have. What, did someone feel thy needed one more syllable than Amalgam? The new name had been chosen over Adamantium, Hihi'irokane, Vibranium, and Thunderbolt Iron. "They should just have called it 'Bob' or something. But, the damned name doesn't matter." It was the fabulous technology that did. The top brass needed Sousuke to pilot their newest Arm Slave, the ARX-9 Anduril.

"Yes… sure… he doesn't need weapons…" Kaname found herself standing in her apartment. After putting her stuff away, and putting on a new set of clothes, she headed to the kitchen… opened the refrigerator… and began removing ingredients. "That's because he_ is_ a weapon. Big stupid head." Despite her bitching, Kaname was very proud of her beau. Not many men his age gave two yen for the safety of others. She could accept being lonely for a stretch here and there, as long as he stayed safe. "But he better graduate on time with me!"

Fortunately, Sousuke had someone who could tutor him aboard _Morrighan_, the newly minted submarine named for a Celtic goddess of War and Sovereignty. Someone who was _not_ a platinum haired girl that had a fondness for tea… and Sousuke. Teletha Testarossa was still stationed aboard _Tuatha Da Danaan, _the flagship of the TDD class. Kurz and Melissa were there, too, but often saw Sousuke when their ships were both at Isu base.

Humming as she began chopping vegetable, Kaname knew that her worries would end soon enough. When the two of them finally tied the knot… 'not until we graduate and I get a real job that does not involve blowing things up'… would Sousuke part ways with Orichalcum on good terms. Everyone owed him that much. And her too, for that matter. But… one thing was sure… she was not about to let him bring Al home with him. The last thing she needed was a talkative A.I. attached to her TV, treadmill, or toilet!

"He better bring me chocolate," Kaname said to herself, sweeping vegetable into a pot. "And not a gun or something. Or flash bang earrings!" It was Valentine's Day, and Sousuke would be home for more than just that night. "And… well… condoms, too… right?"

The two of them had come close to consummating their love numerous times since their return, but one thing or another had always stood in their way: duty, odd circumstance, or simply one or both of them just not feeling ready yet. But, with Sousuke returning home to a special meal… on such a romantic day… the two of them separated from each other for weeks… things might connect tonight, so to speak.

"As long as he does something romantic too!" Kaname unwrapped thin slices of expensive beef. She would marinade it for a bit, before adding it to her recipe. "And he better not have gone to any of _them_ for advice!" Wanting to know what to do for a woman, Sousuke had approached Tessa on one occasion. Doing that had nearly earned him Capital Punishment. Another time, he had _actually_ followed advice given to him by Mao. That advice had been worse than anything Weber could have offered up. That's saying a lot!

While Kaname hadn't been the world's biggest fan of Valentine's Day after returning to Japan, she had enjoyed it during her time in Americas. However cheesy and cliche it may seem to many people in the Western world, for many, Valentine's Day still is a time to celebrate love and acceptance with the special person in one's life. It had become very commercialized in Japan, too; however, she would not follow Japanese tradition of making _Honmei-choco_ for Sousuke. As for that somber soldier, he had never gotten caught up in the notion of White Day, and so would follow suit with Kaname. They would both exchange gifts tonight. "But, he better not show up wearing a Bonta-kun suit!"

After what seemed like hours, the sound of jangling keys had Kaname taking a deep breath and holding it. Sousuke! When the door to the apartment opened, the blue-haired woman tried to walk proudly and serenely to meet her significant other. Yeh, right. Before she knew it, she took off running and jumped into the military maniac's arms, causing him to drop an enormous box of sweets and an even larger stuffed bear, both overly festooned with shiny ribbons.

"Something smells very good," Sousuke remarked, when his girlfriend finally let him come up for air. He paused, his maturing sense of humor willing to take a risk. "Are you heating up some of my MREs?" That earned him a playful kick to the shin and another merciless hug. "You look very beautiful."

"These old things?" Kaname shrugged, nonchalant. "They're just something I threw on." False! It had taken hours of deliberation to select her outfit the day before, flipping between one newly bought blouse and skirt combo and four others. That didn't include the time selecting jewelry or perfume. Or undergarments.

After a splendid meal and a wonderful bottle of wine that had been sent along with Sousuke as a compliment from the _Morrighan's_ crew, the pair sat down on the couch to exchange gifts. First, they planned to exchange Valentine's Day cards. Kaname's was heartfelt and mushy, and had earned a smile from Sousuke.

"Thank you, Kaname. You mean everything to me, too." His face went from confident to concerned in the blink of an eye. "Uhhh-" Sousuke looked a bit sheepish, holding his card out to Kaname.

"What's the matter, Mister?" Kaname raised both eyebrows. Why was Sousuke acting like that? "This card better not have tickets to another Anime Convention… or a bagpipe competition." Yes. She had gone to both of those with Sousuke. She smiled, just the same. She had dragged him to numerous chick flicks and a poetry reading. Imagine that! Poetry! Sousuke must be alleregic to things like that.

"It's just-" Sousuke took a deep breath… threw out his chest… and spoke in a deeper more manly voice. He was, after all, a Specialist. No. A Specialist's Specialist. "I wrote you a poem… and I hope you like it…"

"_Really?!"_ Kaname felt her heart quicken. Writing a poem would be quite romantic. Well… if it was a love poem. It _would_ be a love poem, wouldn't it? "Well let's see." The card was cute. Hallmark. And when she opened it, a folded piece of paper fell out. She read the poem written on it out loud:

"**O my love is like a red, red rose****  
****That's newly sprung in June;****  
****O my love is like the melody****  
****Of a metronomic platoon**

**So fair art thou, my pretty girl,****  
****So deep in love am I;****  
****And I will love thee still, my dear,****  
****Till my transport 'copter falls from the sky.**

**Till a' the seas go dry, my dear,****  
****And the rocks melt with the sun;****  
****I will love thee still, my dear,****  
****Even more than I love my gun.**

**And fare thee well, my only love!****  
****And fare thee well awhile!****  
****And I will come again, my love,****  
****If your picture's in my Mission File."**

Time seemed to slow. No, it stopped. Kaname almost felt as if she were frozen in a big block of ice. The angel sitting on one of her shoulders said "See how much he loves you! He wrote a poem!" The devil on the other shoulder said "Platoon? 'Copter? Mission File?" The Angel fought the urge to give the devil the finger and came to Solusuke's defense again. "Love and roses. So deep in love am I." Not to be outdone, the devil said: "For Satan's sake, the damned thing was lifted…." By that, he was making a claim of intellectual piracy, poaching, and pilfering

"Uhhh-" That was Kaname, not Sousuke. She tried hard not to frown.

"I see. I failed in my mission," Sousuke hung his head. He had used the word mission. On Valentine's day. He still hadn't learned to routinely keep military jargon out of civilian conversations. No, personal discourse.

"You get an 'A' for thoughtfulness," Kaname said. "But… well… some of the words kind of killed the romance. And… well… I hate to say it… but I have to give you an F for originality …it's plagiarized." The top student in Kaname couldn't help but focus on that. "We _both_ had to write a paper for English class on one of the greatest love poems." Sousuke had chosen 'Since There's No Help,' by Michael Drayton, since it was bottom on their list. Standing up for the underdog again. Kaname had chosen 'Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds' from Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare. Top on the list, of course.

The list also contained eight other poetry pieces: 'How Do I Love Thee,' by Elizabeth Barrett Browning; 'Love's Philosophy,' by Percy Bysshe Shelley, 'Love,' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge; 'Annabell Lee,' by Edgar Allan Poe, 'Whoso List to Hunt,' by Sir Thomas Wyatt, 'To His Coy Mistress,' by Andrew Marvell, and 'Bright Star,' by John Keats.

Plus one more.

Kaname scooted own to the other end of the couch… grabbed one of the textbooks stacked up on the floor… and scooted back. She opened the book and said " A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns." Flipping through the index she slid her finger to a name… turned to the listed page… and began reading again.

"**O my Luve is like a red, red rose****  
****That's newly sprung in June;****  
****O my Luve is like the melody****  
****That's sweetly played in tune.**

**So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,****  
****So deep in luve am I;****  
****And I will luve thee still, my dear,****  
****Till a' the seas gang dry.**

**Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,****  
****And the rocks melt wi' the sun;****  
****I will love thee still, my dear,****  
****While the sands o' life shall run.**

**And fare thee weel, my only luve!****  
****And fare thee weel awhile!****  
****And I will come again, my luve,****  
****Though it were ten thousand mile."**

"I like mine better," Souuske said, almost inaudibly. Almost.

"What was that?" Kaname cocked her head, her disappointment threatening to push her Anger button. Mentally, she had tried to tape over that button. But, the tape kept falling off.

"It was better than the one that Kurz suggested," Sousuke offered as a weak defense. He should have stopped there. It would have been the wiser thing to do. He imitated Weber's voice and said "Souuske, the most romantic type of verse is the limerick. And the most romantic limerick is this one:

**There once was a fellow McSweeny****  
****Who spilled some gin on his weenie****  
****Just to be couth****  
****He added vermouth****  
****Then slipped his girlfriend a martini."**

"-" Kaname couldn't get a word out. Her mood threatened to go from tepid to torrid. No, Tectonic!. She was subjected to this, after her slaving away to make dinner? This, after her waiting weeks to see him? This on Valentine's Day? If she had something akin to the fuel meter present in automobiles, her Romance needle would have gone from Full to half towards Empty. She closed her eyes a moment. She was over-reacting.

"But I did not write that one down in the card! I am not that clueless." The scar-faced man thumbed his chest, cocky at a time he should be meek and submissive. "I also did not write down Mao's. When Kurz was blasting music in the Isu hangar bay, the song lyrics said: 'When I pulled into town in a police car…Your daddy said I took it just a little too far…You're telling me things but your girlfriend lied…You can't catch me 'cause the rabbit done died…Yes it did'. When I asked him what significance a dying rabbit might have, Mao called out:

**A bear taking a dump asked a rabbit****  
****"Does shit stick to your fur as a habit?"****  
****"Of course," said the hare,****  
****"It's really quite rare!"****  
****So the bear wiped his ass with the rabbit."**

"But… that response did not answer my question about the rabbit in the slightest." Sousuke's look went from affronted to downtrodden again. "And… it… well… you know… it wasn't romantic at all…"

"Tell me about it, soldier." Kaname counted to ten. She would not blow up at him. She was not a bomb, after all. And she also wasn't the occasionally abusive girl she had once been. He had tried. He had brought candy, a stuffed animal, a bag of packages, and an attempt at poetry. Shouldn't that be enough? Especially since she didn't really care about the trappings of Valentine's day. The true importance of the day was being able to spend time with the man she loved… the man she had no doubt loved her. Her efforts to build up Sousuke curbed her pique, but couldn't heal all ills. The needle on her Romance needle had gone full to the left, a hair past Empty.

Sousuke had indeed grown a great deal since the day of his triumphant Jindai return…and even more since that first day when he showed up at the entry gate with a submachine gun in his school bag. He sat on the stylish sofa with his heart sunken down to about the level of his stocking feet. He had disappointed Kaname. He felt as if he should be blindfolded and made to walk the plank, pushed into shark-infested waters.

Being of Japanese descent based on the FMP novel, maybe he should have tried haiku. Or something more modern like the poetry of Chiyo Kitahara. Those did not come to mind. He did not feel much kinship with the land of his birth. Even though he was not born in Afghanistan, as in the manga, or in Helmajistan, as in the anime, he could have quoted the Qur'an.

Sousuke could remember his younger self trying to figure out love from that famous text. At first, he had puzzled over the bigger picture: About loving Allah, and about who Allah loved. Allah loves the _Muhsineen_…those who do good to others…the _Tawwabeen_ …those who turn to rightfulness and recourse much to Him and His Guidance…the _Mutahhareen_…those who keep their bodies free from filth, minds distant from dirty thoughts and conduct clean from unseemly acts… the _Muttaqeen_ …those who guard themselves against evil… the _Sabireen_ …those who have capacity to endure hardship… the _Mutawakkileen_ … those who put their trust in Allah and His Laws… the _Muqsiteen_ …those who act equitably and just. And He loved those who fight in His way against tyranny, injustice, and wrongdoings. He had never truly grasped all of that; however, he had at least made an effort, when he wasn't learning about sniping a man from the airy hilltops, or learning how to silence a man and slit his throat down in the dusty flatlands.

But love of a man for a woman?

He could recite on request how True Love was supposed to be based on spirituality and False Love based on materialism, but had had no idea what that meant when he was younger.

'Materialism does not necessarily mean wealth and hoarding. What materialism in a relationship means, most often for men, is love based only physical attraction only, or for women, based only on emotional attraction only.' Ironically, he had received an explanation on the Qur'an's teachings on love from a Chaplain aboard Da Danaan. 'True Love on the other hand is based on the need to fulfill commitments and promises, and to fulfill the partner's rights. True Love is something which is developed over time, not with love at first site or first rescue. True Love is overlooking a partner's shortcoming and the all too obvious cracks in the relationship. True Love leads to a healthy, stable and balanced relationship, where the lovers do not forget that they have responsibilities towards their lives outside of this romance: grades…jobs… families and friends… not to mention saving the world and killing the bad guy. In True Love, people have a full and balanced life and do not need to be with their partner in some constant or excessive manner.'

He had also been tutored on love by the prostitutes in Afghanistan who had served as his foster mothers. His foster father, General Majhid, an assigned target he had chosen not to kill, had shown him a totally different view on relationships, one of capture, conquest and capriciousness. Those memories would of no value to him as he was. He was not a Khan or a Casanova. Could he take the lessons of women of ease and apply them to Kaname?

No, of course not, just as he didn't know how to make passages from the Quran sound romantic enough for Kaname. He had also avoided taking his writing cues from Pop Culture, as prevalent as it might be. Pop Culture still made no sense to him. And, it was his belief that what most young adults believed to be true love was actually false love gift wrapped up as true love by the media, by fads, and by sales schemes. He had not wanted to fall prey to the cultural manifestations of love. Eventually, he had turned to Classical poetry for the basis of his offering. And, he felt it wise to leave the poem as close to the original version as possible… after all, the original poet was a Specialist in his field!

But, that had not been his original strategy. He had spent a great deal of time trying to piece together other source material, but found that task more difficult than building an A.S. from paper clips, tin cans, and a Palladium reactor. Nevertheless, there was an earlier finished product, but it seemed too much like a Frankenstein's monster: in a figurative sense, he had sewn together numerous different parts while sitting in places filled with miraculous machinery. Indeed, he had started his project while flying out to _Morrighan_ … had secretly worked on it in the back of the meeting room during briefings… had spent time at it in the hangar, and in his A.S. waiting for launch…had done some work during the lull in combat operations… and had even managed things one-handed while being bandaged in the Sick bay.

All he had required was a hand-held device…WiFi… the internet… and either Google, Bing, Gigablast, Mojeek, Baidu or Yandex. He had read romance novels on Kindle. He had watched romance movies on You Tube. The search engines had granted him access to more quotes than he could shake a bayonet at.

"I… it seems that I made an incorrect assessment…" Sousuke stood up and walked over to his duffle bag, the olive drap colored carryall still leaning akimbo against the wall in the entry foyer. He stooped and unzippered the bag. "I missed the landing zone completely… landing in a Convent instead… naked…" Now where the hell had _that _come from?! Oh. The original movie version of 'Journey to the Center of the Earth.' He had been watching Jules Verne films onboard _Morrighan _when he hadn't been working on his Valentine's project. "Never mind that last part…"

Kaname watched as Sousuke rummaged around in his bag. He wasn't looking for a gun to shoot himself, right? Of course not!

"This may not be any better-" Urzu 7 held a red envelope in his hand. It was crumpled, having been sandwiched between a Barrett REC7 Gen II, a packet of Semtex, and a large unopened package of tighty whities. "This was my first attempt. Although…." He stopped speaking and stood still, looking down at the envelope.

"Although…." Kaname offered.

"Although… while the final creation is my own…" Sousuke strode over to the girl Kurz had nicknamed 'Angel' and handed her his original offering. "It is pieced together from the works of others." Would Kaname write that off as plagiarism, too? He watched as she opened the envelope… flattened the wrinkled card with a few passes of her hand, then opened and read the paper that sat inside. "It's not really poetry, I guess," Sousuke opined. "It grew longer and longer… because it never seemed to say enough."

Kaname removed the stack of paper and read it aloud:

**Of all the high schools, in all the towns, in all the world, I walked into yours… **

She couldn't quite figure out why that opening seemed familiar. Eager to see what else Sousuke wrote, she continued:

**You meet thousands of people and none of them really touch you. And then you meet one person and your life is changed. Forever. **

She smiled. So true.

**I wanted to tell you that wherever I am, whatever happens, I'll always think of you, and the time we spend together, as my happiest time. I'd do it all over again, if I had the choice. No regrets. **

Kaname nodded. She felt the same way. She reached over to the coffee table, pulled the open box of candies closer, and picked up a Hello Panda treat. After biting, chewing, and savoring her sweet, she licked her lips and spoke again.

**When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. **

Kaname pursed her lips. 'When Harry Met Sally?' _Really?_ Well, at least Sousuke hadn't quoted something from an Orichalcum manual. Why was she being so picky! It was a lovely sentiment after all.

**So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day. **

Kaname nodded her head again. She had thought something like that many times over. It was nice to see that Sousuke understood exactly what the two of them were up against.

**You are my greatest adventure.**

Kaname smiled. Sousuke had already had too many adventures for a man his age. No, for any dozen men of any age. Twelve dozen men! And, in the truest sense, his coming to rescue her had been one heck of an adventure. But, she knew that was not what he meant.

**We owe to the Middle ages two of the greatest inventions of humanity - romantic love and gunpowder.**

Kaname frowned. Gunpowder? Sousuke wasn't about to go off the rails, _was_ he? He had been doing so well up until now.

**The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer. **

Kaname's fondness for kissing Sousuke whenever possible was _not_ going to get her to forgive him for that part about a cannon. She pinched herself. This was no time for going off the rail herself.

Sousuke coughed and said "It gets better!" He wasn't as clueless as he once was. He had noticed and understood her reaction to 'gunpowder' and 'cannon.'

Kaname smiled sweetly. "I trust you, Mister." She had changed, too. She took up where she had left off:

**The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.**

Kaname teared up for a moment. Not only did she think of her time with Sousuke, she fleetingly thought back to father, mother, and sister. She also saw brief images of her friends prior to her abduction, to whom she had become closer to after she returned. They had since moved on to different colleges while she remained at Jindai High. Her time would come too, in regards to higher education. On a number of occasions. she had secretly wondered whether Mithril might help Sousuke get into the same college as her, seeing that she was no longer an official 'Protected Person.'

**Love means never having to say you're sorry. **

Kaname still suffered through more Sousuke-moments than she liked. Well, she would like the number to be zero, but that might be a pipe dream. "I don't know about that, Sousuke-" She was about to say more, but stopped. Sousuke had actually given her a puppy-dog look. When in the blazes had he learned _that?!_ The world's best A.S. pilot and a true dyed in the wool killer, and he had given her a puppy dog face. How could she disagree with him now? "Okay."

**The more one judges, the less one loves. **

That had Kaname judging herself. No, she wouldn't go that route now and ruin the moment. But she had a habit of judging Sousuke way too often. That was something worth thinking about later.

**The very essence of romance is uncertainty. **

Kaname chuckled. "Too true. Too very true. I think." She smiled at her little quip. "But, whatever would make you think that, Sergeant Serendipity?" Sousuke had once been the very avatar of Chaos Theory. And, this heartfelt 'poem' of his was so random… and the sayings were so numerous! It was almost as if he was throwing a lot of stuff against the wall, to see what might stick. That was okay. She was not about to cut his efforts short. This was another sign of growth, a great leap forward for him.

**You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not. Maybe it is our imperfections which make us so perfect for one another. No. To me you ****are**** perfect. **

Kaname's eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Sousuke."

"Are you going to tell me I'm perfect, Kaname?" Souske made that face again.

"It's not going to work again!" Kaname shook her finger at Sousuke, fighting the power the puppy dog face. "And of course you're not perfect!" She paused purposely. "But… you are perfect for me." It warmed her heart to see Sousuke smile. His smiles were still as rare as a rainbows, but he has getting better at that over time, too.

**I like myself better when I'm with you. **

Kaname blew Sousuke a kiss. "Me too, Sousuke."

"You like yourself better when you are with you?" Sousuke was not being clueless. He had become a padawan for humor and sarcasm. "But aren't you always with you?" He froze just an instant, thinking about Sofia, and her relationship to Kaname. But like a Sherman tank at a German hedgerow, he just plowed on forward. "But how can you then be better, if things never change. That-"

"**SOUSUKE!"** Kaname's voice rang out like a shot.

"Yes, Kaname…." Sousuke looked a bit shocked. Kaname should know that he was playing a game.

"I'm just messing with you," Kaname admitted, happy that the two of them could have moments like this now, in contrast to the days when Sousuke's ignorance and naivety were a painfully palpable thing, and her temper and tendency to jump to conclusions were no less hurtful. "It's actually cute when you pretend to be clueless."

"I see," Sousuke said, now going for bonus points. He would be clever. "So, from now on, whenever I seem clueless, I will actually just be pretending…."

"Mmm _hmmmm."_ Kaname did not seemed convinced. She didn't need to be. It was wonderful to see Sousuke trying to be clever. The older more robotic Sousuke hadn't been capable of that. Again, she resumed reading aloud:

**It has made me better loving you ... it has made me wiser, and easier, and brighter.**

Kaname smiled. "Of course," Kaname joked. "The only way for you was up! And, of course, my wisdom, ease, and brightness have rubbed off on you." Despite her happy joke, her eyes welled up with tears. "You make me better too, Sousuke. You really do."

Kaname had to stop reading. She stood up… pulled Sousuke up to his feet, and wrapped her arms around him. She just needed to hold and be held at that moment. When she finally let him go, he walked over to an end table, picked up a box of tissues and handed them to her. After blowing her nose, she sat back down and started reading again:

**Love is like clothing. Clothes cover the wearer. Clothes compliment the wearer and enhance their beauty. Clothes are almost as close to the wearer as the skin itself. In other words, your lover is someone who hides your weaknesses, covers for your deficiencies, and highlights your good points. **

Kaname looked Sousuke over. He had been in such a hurry to get home, he hadn't bothered to change into street clothes or fancy garb. He was still dressed in his jumpsuit. The thought of his rushing to be with her was actually very romantic. To a point.

"Is your love like a pilot's suit… with oil stains… splotches of hydraulic fluid… and-" Kaname made a face, reaching over to scratch at a yellow patch on Sousuke's leggings. "Mustard? I didn't know you liked mustard." Whenever they ate hot dogs, she loaded hers up Chicago style and Sergeant Simple took his plain.

"Ah-" Souskue hadn't noticed that spot. "That was Kurz…yesterday at lunch….'" He cocked his head. "Should I dress in something more fitting?"

"No," Kaname replied, shaking her head. "There's no need. We'll be changing into our pajamas, soon enough."

"Can I wear the camouflage ones tonight? It is a special occasion, after all…" Sousuke tried 'the look' again, to no avail. If something works in battle, you use it again and again until it no longer gets the job done.

"**_NO!"_** Kaname's loud response was not for show. She released her clenched fists. "No… you may not…"

"But-" Sousuke liked his camo jammies. Not for the combat capabilities… they were really really comfy! No. Not comfy. More tolerable. He was a soldier!

"May I continue," Kaname asked rhetorically. She was about to restart, but Sousuke said "Pleaaassse…."

"No, Sousuke." Kaname coughed for effect. "No means no." She reached for the candy box again, this time bringing a a Botan Rice Candy to her mouth. Yum. She read from the paper:

**Happiness is holding someone in your arms and knowing you hold the whole world. **

Kaname smiled. She'd been around the world, but not by choice. Regardless, she knew exactly where she wanted to be. Here, with Sousuke, in his arms.

**Love is putting someone else's needs before yours. **

Kaname picked up the candy box. "Sousuke, would you like one"

"It would be educational to try one," Sousuke replied. "You choose…."

"Sure!" Kaname "What would be… educational…." She knew that Sousuke-now would still sound like Sousuke-then often enough. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. "Let's see…Ramune Candy… I was hooked on Ramune soda when I was younger… because of its lemon-lime flavor… and due to the awesome bottle it comes in. But, this candy tastes like that soda… and you don't like soda." She kept looking over the candies. "Coffeebeat…. no, you don't care for coffee, either. Ume Fruity & Sweet. Delicious, with a sweet-sour plum flavor that lasts a good long time. Better than Juicy Fruit; but, it's somewhere between a candy and a chewing gum. Oh…okay… this one's perfect." She dropped a candy into Sousuke's outstretched hand, wondering where he had picked up a number of new scars.

"What is this one?" Sousuke popped the candy into his mouth. It was a hard candy with a delightful light fruity flavor. Peach, he believed. No, maybe mango instead?

"It's called Flower's Kiss," Kaname said. "It's supposed to make you breath as fresh as a flower, to prepare you for kissing."

"I see-" Sousuke said. "But… kissing is not educational."

"It may be tonight," Kaname remarked, sounding sage and seductive at the same time.

"Uhhh-hh-h." Sousuke blinked rapidly.

"It would a good idea to close your mouth, Sousuke." Kaname smiled, feeling impish. Sousuke was slack jawed. "You don't want to swallow a fly or something."

"That-" Sousuke blinked staccato again. He had somehow remembered a scene from Band of Brothers, when Technician Fourth Grade George Luz, imitating General Maxwell Taylor, said 'Now remember boys: flies spread disease, so keeps yours closed.' It did not seem appropriate to tell Kaname that. She had taken up her paper again:

**Love doesn't just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new. **

Kaname understood that. She was a quick learner, after all. Well, in most things.

**If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you.**

Kaname thought of Winnie the Pooh. She reached down to the floor, picked up her stuffed bear, and hugged it to her.

**If I were to live a thousand years, I would belong to you for all of them. If we were to live a thousand lives, I would want to make you mine in each one.**

Kaname smiled. "If we lived for a thousand years, we'd be in wheelchairs. Yours would probably be armed."

"Of course," Sousuke returned. "And it would have a Lambda Driver. And, maybe an Al junior. I've told you that I would protect you forever."

**You can love someone so much...but you can never love people as much as you can miss them.**

Kaname had to agree. Sometimes her longing for Sousuke almost seemed to eclipse her love for him. It became harder for her, each time he left on a mission. Shouldn't she be used to that by now?

**How lucky am I to have someone who makes saying goodbye so hard.**

Kaname smiled again. She had no doubt whatsoever that their parting was as hard on Sousuke as it was on her. She was very lucky to have a man like that. Especially since there were pretty women on the _Morrighan_ and at the new Isu Base. For some untoward reason, Tessa's face intruded on her thoughts. Kaname waved her hands as if she were trying to shoo a fly.

"Is there an intruder Kaname?" That was Sousuke-speak for 'Is there a bug, Kaname.' He reached under a couch pillow and took out a throwing knife, surprised that an ever vigilant Kaname hadn't discovered it before now, relegating it to the 'Confiscated Weapons' basket she kept into the guest room closet.

When Kaname didn't answer, Sousuke's brain and tongue lost radio contact. "If you did that around Mao, she would ask you if you farted."

Kaname's arms lowered, slack. She sighed. She didn't make a single remark. Instead, she looked down at her paper:

**The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected.**

Yes. Very true. And much more romantic than the passing of gas.

**While I sleep, I dream of you, and when I wake, I long to hold you in my arms. If anything, our time apart has only made me more certain that I want to spend my nights by your side, and my days with your heart.**

Also wonderfully appropriate. And again, no reference to bodily functions.

**You are my North, my South, my East and West, my working week and my Sunday rest. No matter where I go, and however far, I always know my way back to you. You are my compass star. **

Flatus remarks finally forgotten, Kaname felt somewhat nostalgic, thinking of passed days, but no longer fighting the fearful pull of PTSD. The saying 'distance disinfects dividends' means that stockholders care less about the bad things that a company might do, the further away its actions are. The same thing could be said for Kaname's memories of her abduction. The more time that passed, the easier it was for her to think about things. Sousuke had gone North, South, East, and West to bring her home. He had walked into Hell and back, for her. "Thank you, Sousuke."

"For what," Sousuke asked.

"Just thank you." Kaname said. She lay herself down, turning sideways to put her head on Sousuke's lap. "Your turn to read." She moved her body around here and there the way a dog does, until she found just the right spot. She closed her eyes.

"It is good that I practiced this in front of a mirror," Sousuke admitted, leaving out the fact that he had practiced it twenty three times. "I shall commence

And so he did:

**I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life. I never loved you any more than I do, right this second. And I'll never love you any less than I do, right this second." **

Sousuke tenderly stroked Kaname's hair. Was it really blue, or black with a blueish hue? No matter! He was a soldier, and he had a duty to perform. Read soldier. Read!

**No matter what has happened. No matter what you've done. No matter what you will do. I will always love you. I swear it. **

Sousuke smiled when Kaname made a contented sound. It almost sounded as if she were purring, like a cat. An apt analogy. The moment he stopped stroking, she snarled softly. He resumed his caressing the same moment he returned to reading:

**I love you - I am at rest with you - I have come home. **

Sousuke bent over, intent on kissed Kaname on the Forehead. Instead, heir heads hit together when Kaname sat up abruptly.

No longer looking dreamy, but rather sporting an intense look on her face, Kaname asked "Really, Sousuke? Really? Do you mean you are home for good?"

Kaname looked so hopeful, that Sousuke felt like a cad. "No… not forever… but for a long time. Maybe a very long time."

"Oh?" Kaname began tapping her finger against her cheek unconsciously. "How long?" Someone might advise her not to get her hopes up. But, she would damn well do what she pleased to. They were _her_ hopes after all.

"I cannot be certain. The boat needs work on her engines. They are a new type, and we had a difficult shakedown cruise. In addition, trouble sprung up, and I damaged Anduril." Seeing the look on Kaname's face he quickly clarified "I did not get injured myself. I am not missing additional organs." He paused. What would a cooler Sousuke say? "I have not taken any damage to the important one."

With Kaname turning pink, he quickly finished the final two lines:

**"I love you. You complete me.**

**Here's looking at you, kid."**

To Kaname, Sousuke went from Zero to Hero. She felt so very fortunate at that moment. Fortunate, and loved. Before she knew it, there were tears in her eyes. "That-" Kaname's throat felt like it had swollen shut. "That was just-" Was that her heart in her throat? It certainly felt like it. She hadn't known that she had secretly wanted someone in her life to do something like this for her. When she first met him, she never would have guessed that Sousuke would be the one. Yes, she was lucky. So very lucky. "That was just perfect, Sousuke." She didn't need the Romance meter to tell her that her Love tank was full and close to bursting.

"Seeing you cry now…" Sousuke placed his arms around Kaname and whispered into her ear. "A secret… only for you…." He swallowed hard. He could admit this. To Kaname. "There are tears of mine on those papers, too… from when I wrote it…." He had not understood his tears. Could they have been happy tears? Or were they old tears of sadness that he had never been able to shed before, stored up until the day he wrote Kaname's 'poem'? Emotions were curious things.

"Sousuke, kiss me." That was an order, not a request.

"As you wish." Yes, Sousuke still loved 'The Princess Bride.' He kissed Kaname. When he took a half step back and looked at her, he said "And in her smile I see something more beautiful than the stars." Sousuke had forgotten to write that quote down. He remembered it at just the right moment.

"I love you, Sousuke Sagara." Kaname said_. _

"I know." And yes, Sousuke was a big Star Wars fan. Well, of parts IV and V, and the first portion of part VI. "Even though I'm a stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder".

"Listen to me, mister. You're my knight in shining armor. Don't you forget it." Kaname hadn't caught the movie reference. She had thought that Sousuke was putting himself down.

"I won't," Sousuke said. He didn't add, that at times in an A.S., holding an anti-tank dagger he almost felt like a knight clad armor, ready to joust with his foe, or do the things necessary in a fair fight or a down and dirty melee.

"And you do know how knights treated their ladies after they were gone to war for so long…" Kaname fluttered her eyelashes and tried to strike a sexy pose. Her emotions on overdrive, she thought that tonight might actually be the night. The night. Theee-ee-e night.

In the recesses of Sousuke's mind, Old Sousuke pushed New Sousuke aside. "Let's see," he started. "According to the theory of chivalry and the principles of courtly love, any knight worthy of the name had a duty to be kind and respectful not just to his Lady, but to all women. And not just to women, but to everyone." He had that voice. The voice that suggested he might start one of his oratory adventures. Why did he _ever_ do that? He was at his very core a quiet person, someone who kept his word count at a minimum. "A true knight needed to be faithful to God… loyal to his liege… "

"Maybe we should get to opening our gift boxes," Kaname said.

"A true knight had to be generous to the poor-" Sousuke continued with his discourse, locked on with laser focus. "-Brave in battle… skilled at arms…and merciful to foes and to the weak. That is the ideal picture of knighthood and what any man, lord or peasant, then or now, should strive for."

"That's wonderful, Sousuke, but-" Kaname was not more successful stopping her boyfriend than a squirrel trying to stop a car or a cow trying to halt a train.

"In practice it was usually a different story because… well, as Kurz says, men will be men. Mao says that most men will be pussies, but that has no relevance here." He scratched under one armpit, stopped giving in to the itch, and caught an acrid whiff of something. Did he stink? Now was not the time to worry about that. He was on a roll. "Knights often succumbed to vanity and used their status as Knights to carry themselves far above those of lesser stations. That made it all to easy to dehumanize non-chivalrous castes-"

"Sousuke," Kaname said calmly. Enough was enough.

"Knights were much less inclined to show mercy to a city militiaman or an archer on the battlefield than to another knight," Sousuke expounded. "And …like many mercenaries that I've met… many carried themselves high despite having never proven their prowess at arms or their courage in battle."

"Sousuke," Kaname's voice went up half an octave.

"War was a hard time for everyone," Sousuke continued, oblivious. He knew all to well the hardships of war. "The stress and pressures and bloodshed and traumas take their toll. Psychological humiliation makes it very hard for losers to keep rules in war. Broken and traumatized men avenged the hurts they feel by inflicting those same hurts on people physically weaker than them. And when it comes to women, that meant rape."

"_Souuus-kaaay,"_ Kaname's voice went up a full octave this time.

"But war wasn't the only cause of that," Sousuke said sourly. "Even in peace time, some Knights were serial rapists, giving no pass to nuns or a woman of higher birth, even those who were married. Some knights would be kind to women of their own class and upward, especially to wives and widows, while their ideals of chivalry made no provision for low-born women, which meant that the same man who made provision for a noble widow or gave money to a convent might casually rape a village girl and not think twice about it. Other Knights might capture a highborn or wealthy woman and force her to marry him by rape…even though it was technically illegal… so that he could inherit and use her land and money."

Sousuke had unconsciously gone on and on about rape because it was an act he had seen too many times, and detested more than anything else. It had made him beat men senseless and near death in the past. And, coming across fan-fiction stories by young boy or young girl authors who wrote glibly about rape always made him wish he could send them on a very long march in a very hot desert with a very heavy pack during a very strong sandstorm. On Arrakis!

"The real knights are the ones who could uphold the rules of chivalry despite the pressures of battle, or despite temptations of the flesh," Sousuke noted. "That is how you tell a great man." He struck a pose, as if he were a gallant knight himself.

"**S-O-U-S-U-K-E-!"** Kaname felt close to hyperventilating. She had been thinking about temptations of the flesh, and… did… not… want… to … lose… that… groove!

"Kaname?"

Kaname bit her lip. Sousuke had that old deer-in-the-headlights look again. Why again? Why tonight? Why now?

How could she scare away the Old Lunkhead Sousuke and bring the New Improved Sousuke back. _Hmmm._ That might work. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Well, in this case it would be what is good for the gander is good for the goose. The lecture format might backfire and makes things worse, but she was desperate and tried the first idea that came to mind.

"Rape is not very romantic, Sousuke, and-" Kaname was interrupted before she could continue.

"I agree!" Sousuke stood at attention. "I tell Mao that, but she still reads those romance novels where-"

"Shhh!" Kaname shushed. _"Shhhh-hhh-hh-h!"_ She shushed some more **_"Shhhhhh-hhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h!" _**

"I'm shushing, Kaname." Sousuke clamped his lips tight. It would take the Jaws of Life or a Monomolecular Cutter to get them open.

"We'll forget your case of verbal diarrhea," Kaname remarked, making a face. That wasn't a very romantic sounding comment, either. "I'll overlook your nostalgic long-winded and meandering babbling tonight, because you were so thoughtful and romantic. And, before we find a way to light the flame of romance you nearly blew out, I will answer your question for you."

"Qshm Knmey?" That was the best Sousuke could do with his lips tightly shut

"You asked your friends about the Rabbit Test," Kaname said. She walked over and shut off the lights. She would leave clean-up until tomorrow. She took Sousuke by the hand. "I learned about that in Biology class." She began leading him towards their bedroom.

"?" Sousuke's response was unintelligible.

"The hormone 'human chorionic gonadotropin' is produced during pregnancy," Kaname spoke as she walked into the room. She let go of Sousuke's hand and began turning down the bed. "You _do_ know how women get pregnant, don't you, Sousuke?"

"I," Soususke had a single sweat drop. "It-" The shock of that question had him speaking normally again. Either that, or his knowledge of the correct answer.

"Exactly," Kaname said, enjoying the sight of her boyfriend squirming like a worm on a hook. "HCG can be found in a pregnant woman's urine and blood. Finding it indicates the presence of a fertilized egg." She began unbuttoning her blouse. "You're not getting into bed like that, right? You need a shower."

"I would never go to bed clothed Kaname," Sousuke replied. "Clothing is for sleeping _under_ the bed." He rarely did that any more. They were a couple, of course. And that choice of action would not be an effective ruse to a seasoned enemy.

As Sousuke headed to the bathing area, Kaname followed, tight on his six. "I'll be getting in with you." She smiled when she saw the man with a ballerina's grace trip over his own shadow.

"-" Sousuke initially had no answer to that. "I-" Sousuke coughed. "Aren't we going to exchange gifts?" He had brought her more than candy and a stuffed animal. He expected that she had bought him things, too.

"Yes, we are going exchange gifts," Kaname replied, feeling naughty. "We can get to the packages later." She a surge of satisfaction when she saw Sousuke blush like a preteen girl. Some soldier he was! She continued with her lecture:

"The AZ test was developed by Selmar Aschheim and Bernhard Zondek. When urine from a woman in the early months of pregnancy was injected into immature female mice, their ovaries would enlarge and show follicular maturation." Kaname let the rest of her clothing slide into a pile at her feet. Sousuke was soon naked, too. They stepped into the shower when the spray was warm. "You remember how women get pregnant, right?"

"Naturally," Sousuke replied. The cells of his body seemed to all be awake. The atoms in his body felt like they were vibrating up a storm. He had never taken a shower with Kaname before. And, she kept making references to sex. His mind was losing command of his body.

"Natural is best. Soap me up," Kaname said coquettishly, "And then I'll soap _you_ up." She smiled when the soap slipped from Sousuke's hands and scooted all along the shower floor. "Want me to pick it up for you, Sousuke?" She bent over. Her beau almost forgot his name.

"I'll get it!" Sousuke's voice had been husky earlier in the evening. At that moment he sounded like a boy who had just reached Puberty.

Kaname hid a grin. Sousuke was so cute. She wanted him to be manly, not cute. But she couldn't help wanting to hug him. So, she did. Then, when her feeling of adoration morphed back into a feeling of lust, she hugged him again… after rubbing soap all over herself. She would do the human sponge routine that served as trope in every other harem manga. After soaping the shivering Sousuke for a dozen or so delicious minutes, she remembered to continue her discourse:

"Friedman and Lapham's test was essentially identical to that earlier test, but replaced the mouse with a rabbit. A few days after the injection, the animal would be dissected and the size of her ovaries examined." Kaname took notice when Sousuke showed a very male reaction. "At ease, soldier. I want you to salute me _later._ We don't want to waste that now."

It was Sousuke turn to do the soaping. He dropped the bar again, thinking about all of the body parts he had the duty to soap up. When he retrieved it, he shyly coated Kaname in bubbles from head to toe. After spitting out some soap, Kaname got back to her lecture:

"The rabbit test became a widely used bioassay test for pregnancy. The term 'rabbit test' was first recorded in 1949, and was the origin of a common euphemism, 'the rabbit died' for a positive pregnancy test." Kaname judged that the moment was right. She reached up and wrapped her arm around Sousuke's neck. She pulled him close and gave him a kiss the would have left most other men on their knees. The change came swiftly. Sousuke soon held her in an iron grasp, and kissed her back with a smooch greater than the one in his beloved The Princess Bride. Three cheers for the resurgent New-and-Improved Sagara!

Now it was time for Kaname to get this plane ready for final approach. "The mainstream use of the phrase 'Rabbit Test' was based on a common misconception about the test," Kaname said.

"Do tell," Sousuke replied, toweling himself off, before watching Kaname towel off.

"Yes," Kaname said, taking her time with the towel, quite aware that Sousuke was staring at her. She arched her back without thinking. "While many people assumed that the injected rabbit would die only if the woman was pregnant… the truth was that _all _rabbits used for the test died… because they had to be surgically opened in order to examine the ovaries." She was not going to pull a 'Sousuke' and keep going. There was no need to mention the Hogben test, a later nonfatal test using African Clawed Frogs.

"I see," Sousuke said. "The song makes sense now. Thank you Kaname." Sousuke's voice had grown deep. "Thank you for everything. Yersterday. Today. Tomorrow." He pulled her into a strong embrace. Before he could kiss her, Kaname called out:

"Sousuke! I'm naked!" Kaname literally crossed her fingers as she stepped away. Old Sousuke would retreat and stammer apologetically. While New Sousuke….

Sousuke smiled, pulled Kaname closer to him, and kissed her long and deep

When she finally had her breath back, Kaname said. "About the rabbit test, Sousuke-"

"Kaname?" Sousuke wondered if there was more of a story to tell.

"Let's save the bunny." Kaname went over to the bed and climbed in. "Do you still carry those emergency canteens in your wallet, Sousuke?"

"Huh?" It took Sousuke a moment to pick up on Kaname's inference. He nodded his head. "I do." He walked over to the dresser where his wallet sat.

When Sousuke returned to the bed and joined Kaname, she turned out the lights. The sounds that later came from behind that closed door left nothing to the imagination. We shall leave the remainder of the tale private, with one exception:

At one point, Sousuke asked 'Now,Kaname?"

She answered "Affirmative!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Postscript__: Being ignorant of the Muslim faith, I needed to gather information from the internet. With thanks to Google, I discovered an online work by Jamiatul Ulama titled 'Love and romance in Islam,' and respectfully heisted some of the contents within. Also, this question was asked on Quora:'Were the Knights kind to women in the Medieval Ages, like portrayed in fairy tales?' I borrowed portions of an answer provided by Kristian Boulinguez, and one by Emily Grace Frost. The info from the Rabbit Test was taken from Wikipedia. _

_P.S.S.__: 11,050 bonus points to the first reader who correctly identifies the name of the song that had Sousuke mentioning the key animal in the story._


End file.
